Pete, we also installed the Next Gen 3.5, The Trawler Beach House: Do-It-Yourself Generator Install and I see no need to remove the generator. we chose this unit because of its small size and weight. We have been using it for a year now, sometimes daily, and the unit is performing wonderfully. It easily runs our 16K BTU heat/AC and handles all of our 120 volt needs including hot water, microwave and all of our appliances. I highly recommend the sound sheild IF you can make it work. Otherwise, soundproof the locker you install it in. Chuck

Pete, we also installed the Next Gen 3.5, The Trawler Beach House: Do-It-Yourself Generator Install and I see no need to remove the generator. we chose this unit because of its small size and weight. We have been using it for a year now, sometimes daily, and the unit is performing wonderfully. It easily runs our 16K BTU heat/AC and handles all of our 120 volt needs including hot water, microwave and all of our appliances. I highly recommend the sound sheild IF you can make it work. Otherwise, soundproof the locker you install it in. Chuck

Great info, and I'm sure I will refer to that again during the install. I suspect, however, your trawler had better access to the locker where you installed it than 13"!

Pete, You are correct, but my point is, and as you can see from some of the photos, all it will take is removal of some of the external bits and pieces and the unit should drop in. Re-attaching those pieces should not be that difficult. I would have to measure to say for sure. Chuck

Can't remember what we removed to make the NextGen 3.5KW fit, but it only took an hour or two. Probably the air cleaner, the riser, maybe the water pump, the four engine mounts, etc.

The sound enclosure and base were installed after the generator was already in the locker where, like in your case, there is plenty of room.

I built a strong shelf from 3/4" plywood, fiberglassed over and tabbed to the hull and a bulkhead. A strong leg down to the bottom of the locker makes the whole shebang very sturdy. It has worked fine for 10 years now.

Can't remember what we removed to make the NextGen 3.5KW fit, but it only took an hour or two. Probably the air cleaner, the riser, maybe the water pump, the four engine mounts, etc.

The sound enclosure and base were installed after the generator was already in the locker where, like in your case, there is plenty of room.

I built a strong shelf from 3/4" plywood, fiberglassed over and tabbed to the hull and a bulkhead. A strong leg down to the bottom of the locker makes the whole shebang very sturdy. It has worked fine for 10 years now.

Fantastic! The NextGen Compact Marine units seems the solution to OUR problems! Without this thread I never would have heard of NextGen since I pretty much gave up on stumbling around the web just looking for genset ideas..

Man..... I LOVE this CF site! Thanks everybody - the comments, the thoughts, the ideas!

{My old big-enough-to-run-a-field-hospital sized built-in genset died and we've lived with solar & wind power only for about 4 years. My wife would be absolutely ecstatic to have her built-in freezer and fridge available again! Yeah, the small Engle DC fridge keeps us going - but still.... }

__________________"Being offended is not the same thing as being right." Dave Barry.
Note: Offense is always taken, never given.
When life hands you lemons..... add gin & tonic!

I've been looking at a number of 'older' cutters.....Virtually all of them have 12"-13" (~30cm) deep openings in the largest lazarette or locker......

One installation problem in a lazarette to be aware of is the depth needed beneath the generator for the waterlock. To be able to stop water getting back into the exhaust when the genset is not running and the boat heals, Fischer Panda recommend the water level in the waterlock is 60 cm below the exhaust valve outlet, and the waterlock should also be immediately under the genset on the boat's centre line. My old installation manual from FP had one paragraph on the waterlock positioning. Their latest manual has 16 pages explaining the potential problems for different angles of healing.

I have had water ingress into the engine twice due to this problem. I have now added a second waterlock and drain them both when the genset is not running, so there is no water left to slosh back into the engine. Problem now solved.

Our FP genset is about the same size as the Next Gen, but ours includes the sound enclosure. We can't hear it running when we are in the centre cockpit. It's a DC genset based on the same Kubota engine so requires an inverter if AC is what you really want. Chargingcurrent is 280 amps @ 14.4 volts.

One installation problem in a lazarette to be aware of is the depth needed beneath the generator for the waterlock. To be able to stop water getting back into the exhaust when the genset is not running and the boat heals, Fischer Panda recommend the water level in the waterlock is 60 cm below the exhaust valve outlet, and the waterlock should also be immediately under the genset on the boat's centre line. My old installation manual from FP had one paragraph on the waterlock positioning. Their latest manual has 16 pages explaining the potential problems for different angles of healing.

I have had water ingress into the engine twice due to this problem. I have now added a second waterlock and drain them both when the genset is not running, so there is no water left to slosh back into the engine. Problem now solved.

Our FP genset is about the same size as the Next Gen, but ours includes the sound enclosure. We can't hear it running when we are in the centre cockpit. It's a DC genset based on the same Kubota engine so requires an inverter if AC is what you really want. Chargingcurrent is 280 amps @ 14.4 volts.

Good info. Thank you. I rarely try to run the generator when underway, but this should be taken into consideration nonetheless. thanks again. pete

Good info. Thank you. I rarely try to run the generator when underway, but this should be taken into consideration nonetheless. thanks again. pete

Sorry if I didn't make my point absolutely clear, but the problem happens when you do NOT run the genset when under way - this can cause any water left in the waterlock to run back into the engine. When its running the exhaust pressure forces it overboard at all angles of heel. The amount of water left when NOT running depends on the height and size of the swan neck and the length to the swan neck from the waterlock. See VETUS waterlock instructions or download an FP installation manual.

Sailingledgend makes a very good point that everyone else missed. Perhaps you could run the loop above the deck by having part welded out of SS or aluminum and attaching it to a stanchion. As to the opening, you have to be able to service the engine so go ahead and cut the deck to make a proper hatch. The glass work is no big deal.